Liberation
by BemnalTheFallen
Summary: My name is Celestia Sunbeam I. And I dreamed of a world without war or poverty or hatred. To that end, I invented a magical syrum called HARMONY that supresses all emotion. My ponies can now look forward confidantly to an expected and safe future, free of all that is obsolete. Hate-Obsolete. Depression: Obsolete. Love-Obsolete. Friendship-Obsolete. Free Will... Obsolete.
1. You Tread Upon My Dreams

Liberation

My name is Celestia Sunbeam I. And I dreamed of a world without war or poverty or hatred. To that end, I invented a magical syrum called HARMONY that supresses all emotion. My ponies can now look forward confidantly to an expected and safe future, free of all that is obsolete. Hate-Obsolete. Depression: Obsolete. Love-Obsolete. Friendship-Obsolete. Free Will... Obsolete.

***Based on the movie Equilibrium.***

***WARNING***

Gore

Violence.

Minor Swearing

Anthro ponies

***WARNING***

Chapter 1, You Tread Upon My Dreams

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_-My name... is Celestia... in the first years after the fall of Nightmare Moon, a massive world war broke out as Griffons, Minotaurs, and Dragons across the world tried to vie for power over what they believed was a weakened Equestria. It was the third world wide war since the unity of the tribes... _

_Those of us who survived... knew... equine kind... could not survive... a fourth..._

_that our own... volatile natures... put simply... could no longer... be risked... _

_..._

_..._

_And so... I created a new arm of the law. The Solar Paladin._

_It is the Solar Paladin's sole task to seek out, and eradicate the true source of pony's inequinity to pony..._

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_..._

_Their ability... to feel... to love... to hate... to weep... to grow attatched. Emotion... became a threat... it became... obsolete. And I made it so... that this sin of feelings would never again threaten my little ponies..._

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_..._

_Ever.- _excerpt from _Celestia sunbeam, First of her name_

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Briar stared at the ancient painting... how old it must be... how much history must be contained... how beautiful it was... the feelings it inspired...

"THE POLICE ARE HERE!" a stallion shouted as he busted through the door into the rundown room on the side of a decrepid building deep in the wastelands of Ponyville.

Briar stood up with grim resolve, he turned and looked outside to see five police cars rool up to the building pulling out shotguns and assult riffles.

Briar turned back to his fellow rebels and pulled out a combat shotgun; with a pump of it he said, "you know what to do."

In seconds, the ponies were up and moving around, hiding any and all art and books they could get ahold of and store them away before grabbing guns.

One of the overzealous rebels charged outside the front doors and was immediately met with a hail of gunfire from the police. The mare spazmed as countless bullets sailed through her body.

"UP IN THE WINDOWS!"

The police aimed high as the rebels returned fire down onto the ground tearing the already tattered area further asunder. Briar smashed out one of the windows and fired a few slugs down below killing two cops before returning from the retaliating fire.

Two armored vehicals lined up and SWAT members rushed out and into the building, the Unicorns lighting up bullet proof shields around their armor as she busted the doors down.

Fighting the armed police was one thing, but military trained Battlemages was quite another; the rebel's bullets bounced off the magic auras as heat seeking enchanted bullets sailed back at them curving around corners and columns reducing cover to complete obsolete nill. The firefight quickly turned into a slaughter.

Outside, one last vehical pulled up. A sleek white care, and out from it stepped a pink Earth Pony mare, Pinkamena, with a straight curtain of even pinker mane and dull blue eyes in a black Paladin suit.

Out from the other side stepped Rainbow Dash, a cyan blue Pegasus, also wearing a black Paladin suit, with a rainbow streaked mane and equally as dull and faded eyes; though they seemed a bit... brighter...

The two mares looked to each other for a moment before walking calmly into the massacre of bullets and shouting.

light poured in through the bullet holes in the walls, doors, and windows as the mares rounded a corner to find a group of SWAT huddled around a barred double doors.

The captain walked over to the new arrivals.

"Paladins," she bowed, "light's out, barred doors and maybe a dozen inside."

Pinkamena responded soley with words and not so much as a facial twitch of emotion, "knock the doors down, shoot the lightbulbs." she ordered.

The captain nodded, "yes mam." and nodded to the SWAT who then cocked their guns and and aimed at the door hinges while others aimed at the lightbulbs in the hallway.

The pink mare, drew two large black pistols from her coat pockets; each one with long nozels and clips containing over 30 bullets with the latest technology as well as having the stopping power of a 50 cal.

Pinkamena stared silently at the door, gradually increasing her breathing rate bit by bit, until she was hyperventalating; with copious amounts of oxygen in her blood, she sprinted at the door full force whipping past the SWAT members before lunging at the door just as they shot the hinges off; she slid along the wooden platform into a large pitch black room while at the same time, the SWAT shot out the lights in the hallway.

Pinkamena calmly stood up in the center of the room as the rebels fired blindly around her.

After a few moments, there was only darkness.

"Where is she?"

"Is she dead?"

"I can't see anything!"

"Shut up!" Briar shouted, "quiet... listen..."

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Every one of the rebels held their breaths for the slightest sounds.

Suddenly, bullets sailed out from Pinkamena's guns as she crossheld her pistols; killing two ponies. With a sudden switch in aim, she killed two more, another movement of her arms aiming one gun ahead and another over hear head to her rear; more shots and another change in direction killed even more.

In a matter of moments and a series of highly practiced synchronized movements, Pinkamena let loose a tornado of gunfire in every direction hitting everypony in the room without wasting a single bullet.

The red lights from the tips of Pinkamena's guns were the only light in the room until the SWAT entered with flashlights seeing the carnage across the entire room; 23 ponies lay dead with gunshots to the head or heart.

XXXXX

The Paladins made it to the top floor where they found Briar, who'd bled out from his severe wounds but not before apparently contacting the base of the rebels as shown by a very old radio machine long since abandoned in obsoletion.

Next to the table were a few books and bottle of alchohol.

Pinkamena looked aorund the baren room. "... this is it..."

Rainbow Dash scanned the area, "... where?"

"There." the pink Paladin pointed towards the carpet. SWAT came it and yanked the rug off before using crow bars to pry open a hidden trap door and exposing several ancient and priceless paintings.

A scientist came in and examined it with a strange device.

"... it's real." he concluded. Years of countless culture, inspiration, and history piled up into one little hole.

Pinkamena stared at it for a while before speaking two words, "burn it."

Two pyromancers came it and lit the painting ablaze with their magic roasting the priceless artifacts.

After they left, Rainbow Dash walked in and stared into the flames... stared into the scorching culture of pony kind. Into the physical record of emotion...

Her lip quivered ever so slightly as her eyes got a bit brighter.

XXXXX

The two mares rode silently in the sleek white care out of the wastes back towards Canterlot.

Pinkamena turned to see Rainbow Dash staring out the window as she fiddled with a book.

"... why didn't you leave it for the pyromancers to burn or the evidentiearies to collect?"

Rainbow Dash looked down at the book titled 'The Magic of Friendship'. "They miss things sometimes..." the mare replied, "thought I'd take it in myself..." she looked away out the window again, "get it done properly..."

Rainbow Dash pensively contemplated the beautfiul landscape of Ponyville, or what was left of it... "how long will it take for us... to take care of all this... to burn everything..."

Pinkamena shrugged, "resources are tight, we'll get it all eventually."

Rainbow Dash stared at her partner for a few more moments before looking away with an unreadable expression.

Meanwhile, the care rolled into the grand city of Canterlot which had vastly expanded over the decades to include not only the entire mountain, but hundreds of miles surrounding it as well, a giant metropolis of white sandstone dull and bereft of color or emotion inspiring luster greeted the Paladins as the car crossed the bridge from the wastes of Ponyville into the outskirts of Canterlot. Outside, Celestia's voice rang out

*Welcome... to utopia... the last, peace that reigns throughout Equestria. At last, war is but a word that fades from our understanding.*

the gates of the wall opened to allow the Paladins access.

*At last... we... are... home.*

Rainbow Dash looked out the window of the car towards the massive air ship that sailed over the city, its entire balloon being used as a projector screen with Celestia's face, large speakers jutting out of the ground across the city projecting her soothing voice.

*At last, there is no longer disease in the heart of ponies. It's symptom... is hate.*

(que epic depressing music of tyrants)

Dash could see far away, large TV screens showing historical records of police footage from decades ago of gang war violence.

*It's symptom, is anger.*

On yet another screen resting high on an outdoor theater filled with hundreds of ponies in grey, white, and black suits bearing dull almost grey eyes with only the slightest bit of color to them watched with expressionless faces as a record showed Sombra torturing the Crystal Ponies.

*it's symptom, is rage.*

Pinkamena looked out her own window and saw on the other side of the side form the top bridge, was another screen showing a foolish pony standing in front of an invading tank refusing to move.

*it's symptom... is war.*

And yet another screen showed a nuke detonating a mushroom cloud anihilating countless lives in the Griffin lands.

In another part of the city; another mass of hundreds of blank empty ponies sat on stone ponies while armed Royal Guards with assault rifles stood along the walls; the ponies all bearing white, grey, or black clothes with the color of their eyes lacking all luster.

*it's cause, this... disease... is equine emotion.* Celestia's image continued to say, *but Canterlot, I congradulate you. For there is a cure to this disease, at the cost of the dizzying highs of equine emotion, we have supressed its abysmal lures.*

Noon struck. Everypony... every single pony throughout all of Canterlot stopped what they were doing and pulled out a small injector needle while the large screens around the city showed a pill with a rainbow liquid; bearing the title of 'HARMONY' on its side.

Every single pony held the injector needle up to their neck, and shot the next dose of HARMONY into their systems, continuing their supressed emotions, their inspiration, their ability to feel, their ability to generate free will. The atonomoton's eyes which had just the smallest bit of dull collor to their eyes, suddenly had irises that went entirely grey.

*you as a society, have embraced this cure. HARMONY.*

Rainbow Dash could see the Monastary filled with Paladins training in the courtyard.

*Now, we are at peace with ourselves. And ponykind, is one. War is gone. Hate, is only a faint memory.*

Out on the streets. Two Royal Guards stood beside a young Paladin-to-be colt who gazed down over the citizens from his elevated point on the column scanning the crowd with a critical eye watching for the slightest show of emotion. When he spotted it, he tapped one of the guard's shoulders and pointed towards a pony who the guards immedately rushed and dragged out of the streets while he struggled and screamed.

*We now have a clear concience, it is this concience that guides us to a brighter future, free of emotional conflict.*

The large screens across the city showed Royal Guards dumping books, pictures, and records into a bit before lighting them on fire.

*And to that end, we must find those sinister things that may tempt us to feel again. Literature, art, music... friendship... and destroy them!*

Royal Guards patroled around the masses of emotionless drones called ponies.

*Equestrians! You have won! Over your own nature! You. Have. Survived!*

XXXXX

Pinkamena and Rainbow Dash's watches beeped, reminding them of their daily shot of HARMONY.

Both mares pulled out a small injector device and loaded it with a small cylinder of rainbow liquid.

"You know," Pinkamena began, "every time we enter the city, it reminds me of why we do what we do."

Rainbow Dash loaded the syrum, "it does?" she asked, mind wandering.

Pinkamena frowned... then turned to the cyan mare, "I beg your pardon?"

Dash finished loading the syrum and injected herself. The gorwing color in her amythst eyes were complete whiped out and replaced by a lifeless grey. She turned to Pinkamena with a stone blank expression, "it does." she said monotonously.

XXXXX

"Thank you, come in." a deep velvety voice spoke, "do you know who I am?"

Pinkamena stood before a very tall dark blue Alicorn with a turquise mane.

"Yes of course," the Earth Pony responded, "you're Arch-Hierophant, Paladin-Grand-Knight Luna. Head of the Monastry, and voice of Celestia's will."

Luna nodded as she sat in her chair, more of a throne really, in the center of the highest floor in the Canterlot Castle. Several Roayl Guards stood along the walls.

Luna smiled as she folded her hands, "now I was told.. that you were practically a prodigal student. Knowing almost instantly if somepony is feeling emotion."

"On my record mam, yes." Pinkamena responded.

"And how would you say you go about such a skill?" Luna asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"I... am not sure mam... I am able to... on some level... sense... how an offender thinks." Pinkamena responded pensively, "... put myself in their position."

"As if you were one of them... as if you were a sense offender." Luna responded coyly.

"I... suppose you could say that mam."

Luna leaned back in her throne, "you're a family mare?"

"Yes mam, a colt and a filly. Pound Cake himself is in the monastary on the path to becoming a Paladin." Pinkamena answered.

Luna nodded, "... and their father?"

Pinkamena didn't so much as hesitate to say, "my spouse was arrested and incinerated for sense offense four years ago mam."

Luna gave a hum, "by yourself?"

"No mam, by another." Pinkamena answered.

Luna stretched her lips into an unnatural smile, "and how did you... feel, about that?"

Pinkamena frowned, she blinked like it was the most absured question in the world, "I'm... sorry, I don't fully understand mam."

Luna shrugged, "how did you feel?"

Pinkamena blinked again... she stood silent for a few contemplative moments, "I didn't feel anything."

"Really?... and how is that you were unable to 'sense' your husband's feelings?" Luna quipped.

Pinkamena's jaw locked. She glanced over to the Royal Guards and their guns. She then looked down at the ground, "I... I... I've asked myself that same question mam, I don't know."

Luna stared back with a blank expression, "a momentary lapse in judgement perhaps... I trust you'll be more vigilant in the future?"

Pinkamena nodded, "yes mam."

Luna looked back down at Pinkamena's file before closing it.

XXXXX

Pinkamena descended the steps from the castle; her mind was... distracted... and that comment of being more vigilant... perhaps Luna was right; perhaps she should be even more cuatious than before...

Pinkamena made her way into the Monastary and headed up towards her desk where she sat down and ran some clip files from the car's camera.

"_every time we come back into the city, it reminds me of why we do what we do_"

her own voice rang out.

"_it does?_" Dash asked distractedly.

"_I beg your pardon?_"

Dash injects herself with HARMONY

"_it does._" she sais monotonously.

But more specifically. Pinkamena watched Rainbow's eyes very closely. The color that built up in everypony's eyes was common before the next does.. but her eyes were just a tad bit too... bright...

Pinkamena played the recording over and over again.

XXXXX

The Paladin entered into the Royal Archives and adressed the book keeper, "looking for evidence administrated today, contraband number 84360A21A; a book I believe."

The pony checked over the lookings.

"It was late this afternoon, it may not show up in recoreds yet." she added.

The Archivist sifted through the cybernetic library, "I'm sorry Paladin, but nothing has been admitted today, and there's nothing under that listing."

Pinkamena frowned, "it was an item brought in personally by Solar Paladin, Rainbow Dash. Check again."

The Archivist blinked, "mam, Rainbow Dash has not dropped anything in for weeks."

Pinkamena's teetch clenched for a split second, "you're mistaken, it was a book of some kind."

"Paladin..." the Archivist turned the computer screen around, "there's nothing."

Pinkamena's face took a dark undertone, "thank you..." she turned and left the castle.

XXXXX

Pinkamena's car strolled up by the gate guards and interrogated the Royal Guard overseeing passage in and out of the city.

"She's been passing through towards Ponyville almost every night for weeks. We assumed it was enforcement related."

An ever so slightly small knot formed in Pinkamena's gut as her suspicians became more and more fact based. She gave a nod to her driver and the car exited the city.

XXXXX

Rainbow Dash sat in the ruins of the Ponyvile Mayor's Mansion. She sat upon a chair reading 'The Magic of Friendship'

The doors opened as Pinkamena strolled in.

Rainbow Dash didn't so much as acknowledge her until she stood in front of the mare blocking her reading light from the sun passing through cracked and heavily stained grimy windows.

"I always knew it would be you..." Dash said as she continued to read.

Pinkamena used her gun to push the book up slightly and saw its title before resting her armed hand infront of her waist and clasping her wrist with her other hand.

Rainbow Dash lowered her book and stared up at her fellow Paladin. It was then that the Earth Pony saw the newborn luster in Dash's eyes; much brighter than they should be, and staring back with defiance.

"But I being poor... have only my dreams, I spread my dreams under your hooves. Tread softly... for you tread upon my dreams." she finished.

Dash stared into Pinkamena's eyes, "I assume you dream Pinkie..."

"... I'll do what I can to see they go easy on you." Pinkamena finally spoke.

Dash chuckled darkly, "we both know... they never go easy."

Pinkamena swallowed, "then I'm sorry..."

Dash glared as the color in her eyes flared up in vibrance and anger, "no you're not! You don't even know the meaning of that word! It's just a... a stitchial word for a feeling you've never felt..." her ears sagged as her gaze dropped. "don't you see Pinkie? It's gone... everything that makes us what we are... shrouded away.. burried, burned, forgotten... supressed..."

"There's no war." Pinkamena countered, "no murder."

Dash barked out a mirthless laugh, "what is it you think we do?!"

Pinkamena jerked her head in a 'no' "you've been with me, you've seen how they can be, the jealousy, the sorrow, the rage... they're like feral beasts."

Dash's head dropped, "a heavy cost..." she reached for her gun, "I pay it gladly." and placed it on her lap. Pinkamena stepped back and pointed her own pistol at Dash.

The air became thick with tension as Dash slowly rose the bock up in front of her face blocking their vision from one another.

Pinkamena could see Dash's hand graps around her gun.

"Don't..." the pink mare whispered in an almost... pleading tone...

Dash cocked the hammer back on the gun.

A moment passed by... then two...

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A sickening thunderclap seemed to ring out as the gun fired. A loud bang so common yet in that moment, producing a sound that seemed to twist one's insides. A bullet sailed stright through the cover of 'The Magic of Friendship' and into Dash's throat, and out the back of her neck.

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Pinkamena stared at Dash's dead body. She heard hoofsteps and turned to see another Paladin. A purple Unicorn mare.

XXXXX

Twilight pulled the care into the city and stopped by Pinkamena's apartment complex.

"You and your partner were close?" Twilight asked.

Pinkamena didn't answer.

Twilight looked away, "I hope you're as pleased to be assigned with me as I am the placement. I was told this would be a career making advancement."

More silence passed.

Twilight turned to face Pinkamena, "I'm like you Paladin... intuitive. Sometimes I know when a pony is feeling before they know it themselves."

More silence...

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Pinkamena exited the vehical, and was about to leave when Twilight spoke up again, "Paladin... I hope to one day be as... uncompromising, as you."

Pinkamena stared back with a completely blank face before shutting the car door without a word.


	2. My Name is Pinkie Pie

Chapter 2, My Name is Pinkie Pie

-_the callouse nature of pony kind is personified by their feeling. The emotions of love, pleasure, happiness, ecstacy, humble, pride, comfort, laughter. These are the tempting vices of pony emotion tantalizingly hanging effortlessly in front of our maws; but the cost for these temporary vices is that which is unacceptable. Hate, war, deception, jealousy, rage, violence, depression. These are the costs that the trivial feelings of joy and friendship demand. The tax they call upon from their buyers, war, famine, murder, these are the prices for fleeting ecstacy. I will not allow these evil vices to hold sway over my little ponies any longer. Nor ever again._- excerpt from _Celestia Sunbeam, first of her name_

Pinkamena entered into her apartment building to find her son, Pound Cake watching intently as recorded excerpts of Celestia's teachings showed upon the large screen.

*The later 20th century, saw the fortuitists rise to power through abuse over the common pony in logistal, political, and psychological sciences. First, the revolutionary precept of the 'Hate Crime' b-*

Pound Cake pressed mute on his remote before turning to his mother who was taking her Paladin suit off and placing her guns in her personal armory. Pound turned away from the screen of the now silently talking Celestia and spoke, "Pinkamena?"

The pink mare turned around, "yes?"

"I saw Feather Weight cry on the playground today. He didn't know it, but I saw him. Do you think I should report him?" the small colt asked.

Pinkamena stared at her son for a few long moments, "... unquestionably."

Pound stared at his mother for a few more moments before silently turning back to the TV and turning the mute off as Pinkamena left the room.

*-the fact remains that pony kind, would rather unite in the pursuit of war, rather than in the prsuit of peace.*

XXXXX

Pinkamena entered her room. White walls under white ceiling above white floor with white beds. No color or flair or uniqueness to it in the slightest. It was identical to all the other rooms throughout the entire city.

The mare emptied her pockets of their contents onto the nightstand before laying on the bed on her back. No bedsheets or pillows to get comfortable on, such things were unnecessary. Comfort was obsolete.

Pinkamena rolled over to her side and rested her hed on her curled arm as Dash's words rang through her head '_But I being poor... have only my dreams, I spread my dreams under your hooves. Tread softly... for you tread upon my dreams_'

Pinkamena turned her head and looked at the empty bed next to her own. She returned to her previous position and closed her eyes.

'_but i being poor... have only my dreams_'

XXXXX

How long ago was it? Pinkamena's mind placed her in a long ago meory in the depths of her sleep. Her husband just got home.

Pinkamena watched as he collected their foal's clothes and began to move for the laundry when he dropped a wrist watch. He bent down and picked it up; when he rose, their eyes met.

In the dim surreal air of the dream, Pinkamena saw more than her husband's bright and vibrant eyes so full of life and spirit. She saw her husband's body surrounded in an aura of color and life. While her own body was dull, grey, and empty.

The moment passed, her husband picked up the watch and smiled at her.

And that's when the dream turned to nightmare. The door busted open as SWAT rushed into the apartment yelling "DON'T MOVE! COMPLY, COMPLY!" They tackled into her husband and slammed him against the wall

Acting on reflex to protect her family, Pinkamena rushed forward and grabbed one of the SWAT's guns, twisting it an a painfully odd angle that broke the pony's wrist, then yanked it around back dislocating the shoulder and flipping the pony over her head before turning around and smashing the but of the gun into another SWAT's face and shoving the nosel of the gun's berral inbetween the pony's eyes. Pinkamena could see the events from a third person view, noticing now that her dull grey tone and flashed vibrant pink.

"DON'T SHOOT! This is a lawful entry! We have a warrant for your husband's arrest! He's charged with sense offense!"

Pinkamena froze; her body drained of color returning to the bleek grey of all the SWAT ponies as she turned with a gaping mouth to her husband, still flourescent with color.

Her husband broke free of the SWAT and rushed up to Pinkamena locking her in a passionate kiss.

"HEY! HGET HIM! GET HIM OFF HER!" the SWAT moved in and yanked the stallion away just as he said, "Remember me."

Pinkamena turned around to see her son and daughter standing with emotionless faces at the scene.

XXXXX

Pinkamena rolled over as she awoke. She sat up and curled her arms around her legs as she turned and looked at the bed next to her own. The empty cold bed.

After a few moments, the mare got up and headed into the bathroom where she grabbed her injector device and pulled out her morning dose of HARMONY, placing the encapsulated rainbow liquid on the corner of the sink.

She turned on the faucete water and washed her face before grabbing the towel and drying off; when she placed her hands down at the sides of the sink to rest on it, her towel bearing hand knocked the capsul off the edge with a slight ting noise.

The Paladin turned just in time to see the dose of HARMONY shatter on the bathroom floor; spilling the rainbow contents.

Pinkamena frowned.

"What are you doing?"

The mare whipped around to see her son.

Pound took a step forward, "I said, what are you doing?"

Pinkamena blinked, "I accidentally dropped my morning interval... took it out before I brushed my teeth..." she she shook her head, "should never take it out before I brush my teeth."

Pound Cake stared, "then you'll go by Equilibrium, log the loss, and get a replacement."

Pinkamena stared back, "yes... of course..."

With that, Pound walked away. The Paladin stared pensively at the spilled liquid on the ground for mintues at least before leaving the bathroom.

During breakfast, Pumpkin Cake played with her cereal. Pinkamena walked in and sat down as she picked up the paper.

Pound spoke up, "your new partner called, says she'll pick you up at ten. I hope you don't mind, I took the liberty of telling her you'd be at Equilibrium replacing your dose."

Pumpkin paused in her cereal play as she looked up at her brother and mother.

"... no of course," Pinkamena responded, "that was the right thing to do."

Pumpkin resumed playing with her cereal, pushing it around and making crunching noises.

Pound glared at her, "stop that." he ordered.

Pumpkin smiled playfully while keeping her face hidden.

XXXXX

Pinkamena arrived at the Equilibrium office as a voice rang out around it. "This Equilibrium is closed due to terrorist activity. Please procede to the Equilirium in sector 8 A."

Pinkamena gave a hum as she stared at the building. Sector 8 A was about a half hour away on hoof. And she was already biting into her pre-planned schedual as is.

A car pulled up behind the Paladin catching her attention.

Twilight opened that passenger door, "more than punctual Paladin, hop in."

Pinkamena stared back at the Equilibrium building. Well... maybe a single missed dose for the day wouldn't hurt... The mare entered the vehical and Twilight drove them off.

"Must've been very short lines," Twilight commented, "I'm surprised you were able to get in, recieve your dose, and get out so quickly."

Pinkamena stayed silent for a few moments thinking on the choice she had made, and the reprucussions of it getting out. She decided on something she'd never done before in her life; she lied. "There weren't many lines at all, it was very clear today."

Twilight nodded, "maybe I'll stop by later today and get my own dose adjusted." she loaded her gun and cocked it.

Pinkamena rose an eyebrow, "expecting resistance?"

Twilight smiled, "that's something you'll find about me Paladin, I'm a wary pony. Cautious by nature, always expecting the worst.

XXXXX

The Paladins arrived at Rainbow Dash's former residence. A battering ram busted the door open to the apartment and Pinkamena strolled in to see a very angry looking Soarin, "you can't just bust in like this!" he shouted.

Pinkamena nonchalantly responded as such, "Solar Paladin, there's nothing we can't do."

Just as she walked past, Soarin rushed her; but the Paladin saw it coming and spun around catching the punch and slamming him against the wall while pinning his arm. "You've been off the dose!" Pinkamena shouted, "look at you!" she shoved Soarin around to face the mirror, "LOOK AT Y-..." Pinkamena's breath caught.

In the reflection. She saw Soarin's bright lit up eyes full of color and spirit. But it was her own eyes that had given her pause. The once completely dull grey irises were now a faint blue; the kind of faint blue that only appears right before needing an injection of HARMONY.

Pinkamena blinked in stunned silence, "... look at you..." she meekly dropped Soarin and walked away, "that mirror frame's illegal, destroy it."

Twilight cocked a brow as she stared at Pinkamena's retreating form into the living room. After a few moments she gestured for the SWAT to come in and yanked the mirror off the wall smashing it to the ground.

Two SWAT members took crowbars to one of the walls repeatedly until a large hole was formed revealing a large stockpile of highly illegal bojects, lamps, paintings, music records, toys, figurines and such.

Pinkamena walked around the hidden room and ran her gloved hand over a few shelves; stopping by a small casche filled with perfumes and cologns.

"you're gonna burn it all aren't you?.." Soarin asked quietly.

"Eventually," Pinkamena responded as she continued fishing through the sack, "but you couldn't have accumulated all of this yourself, it'll all be sorted and examined. We'll discover who your confederates are." As the Paladin turned away, Soarin snatched one of the SWAT member's pistols out and took a shot at Pinkamena but missed on account of another SWAT member nocking his wrist down.

At the same moment as Soarin moved, Twilight pulled out her own pistol and took a shot at the stallion.

...

But also missed as Pinkamena shoved her wrist upwards.

The room was quiet as everypony stared at Pinkamena. The mare worked her jaw for a few moments before speaking, "we need him alive." and leaving the room without another word.

XXXXX

Pinkamena and Soaring sat inside a grey stone walled interrogation room. The Paladin pulled out one of the cologn vials from her pocket and placed it on the table

A few silent moments passed before Soarin grabbed the cologn contraband.

"What's your name?" the Paladin asked.

"Soarin Dash..."

"Well Soarin... you can either wate for the technitions and the palace of justice... or you can tell me now... who are your friends?"

Soarin glared into Pinkamena's eyes, "I'm wonderin if you even know in the slightest what that word means... Friend..."

Pinkamena chewed her lip, "there isn't anything you don't feel? How about guild?"

Soarin continued to glare, "let me ask you something," she pushed the contraband back over.

As Pinkamena reached out to grab it, Soarin snatched her hand and yanked it towards him, "Why are you alive?!"

Pinkemna wrestled her hand back, she pondered the question, "I'm alive... I'm alive because... I live... I live to guard the continuity of this great society. To serve Equestria."

Soarin chuckled and shook his head, "it's circular. The whole tedius, preplanned, prepackaged, grey line of your existence, what's the point?"

Pinkamena parted her lips slightly to respond... but didn't have an answer... "... what's the point of your existence?" she asked instead.

"To feel." Soarin said with concrete resoloution, "becuase you've never done it, you can never know it, but it's as vital as breath. And without it, without love, without anger, without sorrow, without happiness, without friendship, without free will? Breath is just a clock... ticking..."

Pinkamena looked around the room, seemingly unable to meet Soarin's eyes, "then... I have no choice but to remend you to the palace of justice for processing."

Soaring snorted mirthlessly, "processing... you mean execution." he sat back in his chair and crossed his arms.

Pinkamena worked her jaw, "processing..." she nodded.

With that, he stood up and left.

XXXXX

Luna stood among an enormous class of Paladins in training, they paced through a preplanned practice session of synchronized movements with fake guns, both dodging attacks and shooting perfect targets.

Luna folded her hands behind her back as she walked around the classroom, "The Gun Cotta; the ultimate martial style superior to all other forms of interpersonal combat on the planet." she began, "Through analysis of thousands of recorded gunfights, we have been able to determine, that the geometric position of antagonists in any gun battle, is a statistically predictable element."

The younger Paladins took notes as they watched their elders practice.

"Thusly, with practice and study, one can come to draw a conclusion through mathmatical formulae, to the positions of any and all enemies in a room, predictable lines of fire, and place themselves in the 'safe zone' between bullet fire, right in the center of the violence, yet least likely to be shot; while at the same time determining the perfect positions to strike and kill multipal targets with both pistols."

Luna turned to face the class, "following the formulas will allow you to follow a cotta of perfectly positioned aiming points with both guns to inflict maximum damage to the maximum number of apponents while avoiding injury from the statistical trajectory of return fire; thus, a Paladin can enter a room surrounded by antagonists, kill all hostiles, and leave without a single bullet wound."

Luna turned back to the note takers, "by the absoloute mastery of this art, your firing efficiency will rise by no less than 120 percent, a difference of increase in 63 percent in lethal proficiency, makes the master of the Gun Cotta, an adversary NOT to be taken lightly. Luna looked up towards the second floor where Pinkamena stood.

The two mares met gazes for a moment. And then the moment was gone. Pinkamena left.

XXXXX

Pinkamena looked at her two sleeping foals in their room before turning and entering the bathroom. She looked down at her next dose of HARMONY; picking the vial up, she turned it around in her fingers and inspected it... before placing it back in the holster cartrige in the injector. Placing the injector down on the sink side, she turned off the light and went to bed.

...

...

...

Pinkamena had another nightmare that night. She was standing in front of Rainbow Dash's corpse. The coronor zipped up the white bag around her body in front of the furnace.

*_without friendship, without free will? Breath is just a clock... ticking_*

With a push of a button, the coronor sent Dash's body sliding into the furnace as the slot door slammed shut behind her.

Pinkamena jolted awake with a gasp, she wiped her forhead, motted with sweat. Her breathing rappid and her heartrate jumped...

Her heartrate jumped... she brought her hand to her chest to feel her racing pulse.

Looking up she saw her apartment window covered with a grey fuzzing film that heavily distorted the image outside. She always wondered why buildings had those... A small lined shined out behind it. Standing up, the mare walked over to the window, still panting and covered in sweat; she put her hand against the window as the rain fell against it.

With a slight grip, her finger nails ripped through the film; a strange impulse filled her, she began ripping and ripping, clawing desperately at the film as her breathing accelerated even faster.

After it was all off, she stood back. Looking out the window at the beautiful orange glow of the morning sun; the rain pouring down over a rainbow shining in the sky; the reflecting glare of sunlight cascading across the silver buildings.

Pinkamena shivered, she shuddered, she backed up against the bed as alien sensations wracked her system. What was this blooming warmth in her chest? What was this stinging at the corner of her eyes? What was this tickle in her throat threatening to become a sob?

What was... what was this feeling?

...

...

...

This Feeling..

...

...

...

...

Feeling.

Pinkamena began hyperventalating as a panick attack set in, she sprinted out of her room towards the bathroom; snatching up the injector and fumbling around with it before finally prying the dose of HARMONY from it; shoving the capsul into the injector slot, she jabbed the needle into her neck.

And then she paused...

Looking up at the mirror in her bathroom. Seeing herself. Her once straight curtain of a mane had strands sticking out while bits and pieces poofed out in ridiculous curls. But her eyes... her once dull eyes were practically on fire with a flourescent pastel blue.

She panted heavily as she stared at her reflection... staring... pondering... pondering...

XXXXX

Pinkamena stood amongst the masses awaiting for the city gates to open and start their pre-planned days. Her mane was straight as a curtain as she stone amongst the masses.

Celestia's voice rang out from the speakers. *HARMONY, the savior of our masses, glue to our great society. Salve and salvation, it has delivered us from hate, from sorrow, the deepest chasms of melancholy, and depression. And with it we errase grief. Anihilate jealousy. Obliterate rage. Resist the impulses towards joy, laughter, adalation... accept this fair sacrifice.*

Pinkamena was squished in the giant mass of ponies, all dull and emotionless standing in their white, grey, or black suits, mindless drones. She stood as one of them. But opened her hand next to her leg; and dropped the vial of HARMONY to the ground.

*we embrace HARMONY in its unified fullness. And all it has done to make. Us. Great.*

The gates opened and the ponies walked in. The masses unkowingly trampling over crushes remains of HARMONY beneath their hooves; treading upon Celestia's dreams.

Pinkamena walked in synchronized steps with the endless masses; but her face movved around, observing her surroundings, the dull lifeless expressions. She saw an old mare using the railing for support. Pinkamena pulled off one of her gloves and rand her palm along the railing. Feeling it. Feeling the cold metal, the smooth surface against her coat.

XXXXX

Pinkamena entered into the Paladin Monastary. She passed by the grey atonomatons around her; a few drawling out 'good morning's with no enthusiasm or spirit. Pinkamena kept her mask on as she walked to her desk and sat down. She could hear Celestia's voice in the background; she always could. She'd been raised around that voice, everypony had; it was like one's own heartbeat. Alwasy there, but so common you don't even notice it unless you deliberately pay attention.

Pinkamena looked around the office of the Paladin Monastary, she saw her own black desk with stapler, stamper, calibrator next to each other; a file folder below them with a paper stack next to it.

The exact same set up for all the desks in front of her and behind her; she looked up and saw the lights, all positions in perfect order.

She looked at the desks behind her, and in front of her.

*Each and every stallion, mare, and foal in this great society can live identical lives. With no suprises, no concerns, no worries.*

Pinkamena worked her lip. She stared at her desk... then moved the stamper down... then moved the calibrator over... then she moved the stapler to the other side of the desk.

A strange new emotion arrose in her. What was it... what had she felt so far? Fear at her own feeling, compassion at stopping Twilight from shooting Soarin. Frustration from the interview, astonishment and joy at the beautiful sunrise... rebellion at her own reflection holding the injector...

What was this feeling then?...

...

Creativity... yes... that was it...

The feeling guided her hands as she moved the nick nacks around her desk to whatever position popped into her head. A very very small faint smile began to appear on her lips as she did so.

"What are you doing?"

And then her own little world was shattered by Twilight.

Pinkamena looked up at the Unicorn. "I'm re-arranging my desk..." she said in a neutral tone.

Twilight smirked, "hmm, you didn't like the way it was before?"

Pinkamena face went completely level, "I had no feelings about it one way or the other, I'm merely attempting to optimize."

Twilight stared at the Earth Pony who stared right back.

Several uncomfortable moments passed.

"Sense offenders hold up in what's left of Appleoosa." Twilight said as she put the adress on Pinkamena's table.

XXXXX

"We estimat 59 mam! All of them are armed to the teeth!" the captain of the SWAT shouted out over the hail gunfire. The Paladins and SWAT were at the base of a set of stairs in a large building that used to serve as the Mayor's Office of Appleoosa.

Twilight shouted back over the noise, "These are the ones who bombed the HARMONY factory?!"

"Yes mam!"

"You clean, we'll sweep!"

SWAT charged up the stairs, some of them dying as a few enchanted rounds made it through their battlemage shields. Others ascended and reduced the rebels to swis cheese.

Pinkamena followed Twilight who was holding a military assault rifle. The Unicorn turned kicked down a door in the hallway and obliterated the ponies inside before leaning against the corner. She turned to Pinkamena and said, "cover me, I'm going in."

Just then, a mare charged around the corner with a machete screaming as she dove in to strike. Twilight put four rounds in her back and the mare slumped dead against Pinkamena.

"Nice grab Paladin." Twilight said before turning the corner and firing down the hall.

Pinkamena's body shook as she held the dead mare in her hands; her jaw shuddered as she stared into bright fire filled eyes that drained of color as the Earth Pony fell to the ground.

Pinamena slumped back a bit, looking down at her hands now covered in blood; shuddering breaths wracked her body while a new emotion shocked her system accompanied by complete confusion at the new feeling.

Further down the hall; a firefight was taking place.

SWAT backed ponies into a corner and gunned them down without hesitation. Soon corpses littered the hallways and rooms while Pinkamena walked through them; she tore her gloves off and felt her hand over the bulletholes in the wall; feeling the difference and contrast in texture. Then she came across a hole with light pouring through.

Cocking her head, she punched a hole through it and tore the false wall down to reveal a secret room.

Inside it was full of art, toys, misc. items, and even an oil lamp. Lighting it with a match she found, she walked aroun the room; feeling over a disco ball, grabbing a set of metal balls hanging by string, lifting one of them to create a repeat pendulum.

Feeling over the different shapes of glass bottles and containers; the metal of wires, horns of fur helmets; plastic of telephones. And then she found a vinyl record . The title was long worn away, she found a phonograph and placed in in the device before putting the needle down and turning it on.

Silence and scratches.

Pinkamena looked over to a snowglobe, picking it up she turned it over to see the flakes whirl around a large prench tower...

And then she heard it... music...

*_I'm gonna make you smile, and I will brighten up your daaaaaaay_*

Pinkamena fell back against a chair and dropped the globe, the pice smashing against the ground.

*_Cause I love to make you smile, smile, smiiiiiilllllleeeeeee, yes I do!_ _It fills my heart with sunshine alll the whillllle yes it does! Cause all I really need's a smile, smile, smile, from these happy friends of mine!_*

Pinkamena shivvered and twitched as pain stinged her eyes, she cupped her face in her hands and began sobbing. The music overloaded her mind with so many emotions. Too many, beyond counting. Everying looked brighter, more colorful, everything... it... it... there were no words to describe it...

Pinkamena fell to the ground sobbing hysterically.

*_Just give me a joyful grin, grin, grin, and you fill me with cheer! It's true some days are dark and looonely..._*

Pinkamena wailed in sorrow, happines, giddy joy, depression, anger, complete hysteria. She began laughing. Laughing and crying at the same time, reduced to a complete pathetic mess on the floor as her mane splayed out over the floor, curly bumps puffing out all over her mane and tail until she looked like a completely different pony.

Memories surged through her memory.

Dash's face, "Hey there PInkie!"

Her superiors of the Paladins, "Pinkamena Diane Pie, report for duty!"

"Alright Pinkie what do you think?"

"Pinkamena Diane Pie, you've been promoted to Paladin Knight."

"Hey Pinkie, should we search the wastes for this?"

"Pinkamena Diane Pie. Pinkie Pie. Pinkamena. Pinkie. Paladin Pinkamena. Hey Pinkie Pie. Model student Pinkamena. Ready to go Pinkie Pie? Report, Paladin Knight 411-d112, state your name: "

Pinkamena Diane Pie shrieked at the top of her lungs, "MY NAME IS PINKIE PIIIIEEEEE!"

*_It makes me happy when you beam beam beam, yes it always makes my daaaay, come on everypony, all's I need's smile, smile, smile, from these happy friends of miiiine!_*

"My name is PInkie Pie... my name is Pinkie Pie..." the Paladin sobbed.

XXXXX

Pinkie Pie stared at the building as flames errupted from within; mane and tail straight, eyes dull but still blue. Pyromancers finished off the building, obliterating all evidence of the rebels.

Twilight looked up from her notes, "Paladin, why didn't you leave that for the recovery team?"

PInkie Pie turned back to the Unicorn before looking down at her own pocket containing a small photo album she'd found.

Pinkie bit her lip, "they miss things sometimes... I'll take it in myself... make sure it gets done properly." she turned away and crossed her arms.

Twilight stood up and looked around, "You know Pinkamena... eventually... when we burn all of this contraband, there eventually won't be anything left to burn... what will happen to ponies like us?"

"MAM!" a SWAT shouted out before Pinkie could answer. The two turned to look at the captain, "we got something outback."

The two Paladins rounded the corner to find a cage filled with barking dogs.

"These dogs were guarded by mares and foals; we put them down easily." the captain said. "This is the first time we've seen this."

Twilight cocked her head, "why do they keep these animals? Do they..." she looked around, "do they eat them?"

"What do you want me to do with them mam?"

Twilight shook her head, "exterminate them of course."

Pinkie's eyes shot open.

"alright, let's do it." the captain yelled out as she cocked her shotgun.

"No." Pinkie said.

Twilight halted the SWAT, "what's wrong Paladin?"

Pinkie swallowed suddenly put on the spotlight.

She looked around at the SWAT members, at the dogs, at Twilight.

"... nothing... go ahead."

Twilight nodded to the SWAt member who walked in and fired a round at one of the dogs bringing a sickening yelp out accompanied by the bang of the shotgun.

Pinkie's mouth quivered at the sound. Another bang and whimper. Pinkie covered her mouth as her breath caught.

BANG yelp whimper.

Pinkie's stomach turned.

BANG yelp whimper.

Pinkie could feel tears stinging at her eyes.

BANG yelp whimper.

Pinkie felt bile rising up in her throat, she was going to puke.

"HEY!" the captain yelled as one of the puppies manage to escape through her legs and ran out of the cage.

"Grab it!"

But the SWAT members and Twilight stepped back out of its way; after all, who knew what filthy diseases that thing was carrying.

Pinkie saw the dog run right up to her; she knelt down and picked the puppy up. Pinkie's breath caught as she stared at The cute little dog; its floppy ears perked as it stared at her, the small innocent creature in her hands twisting a malestrom of emotions inside her.

"Mam, throw it back in, we'll finish it off." the captain said just as the puppy licked Pinkie's nose. Pinkie was frozen as she stared at the dog.

The captain pumped her shotgun.

"Give it to me mam." another SWAT said.

"Give the thing to him Paladin, he'll finish it off." Twilight chimed as she curiously watched Pinkie.

Pinkie seemed to snap back into reality. She slowly handed the puppy over t othe SWAT; it began whimpering and shivering as the emotionless pony took hold.

Pinkie's face twitched as the tsunami of emotions fought to break through the surface, seeing the adorable small helpless creature begin to shivver and whine as it was taken over to the captain.

"WAIT!" Pinkie shouted, she strided over and took the puppy back, "It... seems to me that... some of these animals aught to be tested for disease." she said hurriedly as she began to take the puppy away, turning back she choked out as calmly as she could (which wasn't that calm at all) "i-if there's an epidemic in the wastes, it's best we know about it..."

Twilight stared thin lipped at the pink mare as she walked away.


	3. Sic Semper Tyrannis

Chapter 3, Sic Semper Tyrannis

-_My little ponies shall always be safe. Even from themselves. From their own weakness. From their own folly. I am the light. I am the mother of all. And my foals shall have a futur of safety, order, and peace. Wathever the cost. This is my dream._ - excerpt from _Celestia Sunbeam, First of her Name_

"I don't quite follow your logic Paladin." Luna said through the TV screen.

"They were resistance." Pinkie replied, "they could have led us to the Underground. But instead of interrorgation and apprehention, they were slaughtered."

Luna nodded, "indeed, but Paladin, given the circumstances, Celestia has decreed that there will be no more process of Sense Offenders. They are to be either shot on sight, or incenerated without tria."

Pinkie inwardly growled, "but isn't that counter to law? You remember the council-"

"It is not the will of the council," Luna cut her off, "it is the will of Celestia, and she. Is. Law." Luna said with finality.

"Mam..." Pinkie said as she put energy into maintaining composure, "process without law... is it not just mayhem? What we have worked so hard to hard to erradicate?"

Luna glared, "you must understand, Pinkamena, that while you and even I may not always agree with it, it is not the message that is the point; it is our obedience to it. Celestia's will. Call it... faith... You have it, I assume?"

Pinkie's fist clenched painfully hard; the leather of her glove biting into her flesh. "yes mam." she said in a calm voice despite the rage and agitation building up inside. "I have it."

"Good." Luna said before the screen dissapeared.

XXXXX

Pinkie stared at the security camera screen locked on Soarin. She stared at his image as he sat in his cell.

XXXXX

"Confiscated Evidence x23-207, Soarin Dash." Pinkie said as she approached the front desk of the processing archives.

Later, in a private room. Pinkie opened the box and pulled out the small vial of cologn... looked it over beore setting it down on the table. She pulled out a seashell; felt its grooves and texture, then placed it on the table as well. Next she found a neck tie. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw the Archivist looking at her for a bit before returning to his work.

Pinkie held the tie up to her nose and inhaled; catching a thick does of Soarin's scent. Pinkie let the feelings the scent gave her flood through her system. She descretely stuffed the tie in her pocket.

XXXXX

Pinkie's car pulled up to the gates of Canterlot, she held out her badge for the boarder patrol, "Paladin Pinkamena Diane Pie; requesting access into the Appleoosa wastes, enforcement related."

The pony inspected the liscence, "thank you mam." and handed it back before opening the city gate.

The car zoomed out into the wastes perhaps a bit faster than necessary. While another car behind the gate held Twilight running her gloved thumb over the wheel as she observed the exchange.

A few minutes later, she sent out a detatchment of SWAT towards Appleoosa.

Pinkie arrived in Appleoosa and exited her car, she went back to the trunk and opened it up revealing the puppy. The mare pulled the dog out and put it on the ground. It stared up at her inquisitively.

"Go on, go..."

The dog stared.

"go... GO!" she shouted and pointed out at the wastes.

The dog continued to stare.

Pinkie groaned and got back in her car. After a few moments she heard an adorable little bark outside her car door and looked out the window to see the puppy wagging its tale as it panted.

Pinkie looked away and bit her lip. She turned the key in the ignition and looked back readying to back up when the dog barked again in that adorable yip.

Pinkie's resolve shattered, she turned the car off and got out to glare at teh dog.

"... fine... but you're going back in the trunk." Pinkie said as she picked the dog up.

just before she closed the trunk, she looked down at the pup as it barked again. Pinkie sighed, then chuckled. She took her jacket off and made it into a makeshift bed for the dog to lay on; the dog curled up on it as she pet its head.

Lights flashed out around her as the sound of motors rang out.

Pinkie turned to see three motorcycles with SWAT on them as well as a large van behind them with spot lights.

"STEP AWAY FROM THE VEHICAL!"

Pinkie glared as she shut the trunk and stepped away.

Two SWAT surrounded her, "IDENTIFICATION!"

"I'm a Paladin, I'm on off-"

"IDENTIFICATION!"

Pinkie grit her teeth, "it's in my coat..."

"Where's the coat?! Where is it!"

Pinkie looked over towards the car, then back at the SWAT, "I don't have it."

"Unidentified pony outside the cities is subject to summary destruction."

Pinkie glared, "you're making a very big mistake. I'm a Solar Paladin Knight, First Class"

"Search the vehical!"

"There's nothing in i-"

"Search it!"

The other SWAT moved over to the car. Pinkie looked around. One hostile in front of her, another behind her at a 30 degree angle; the third in front of her 9 feet away by motorcycle with clear sight illuminated by light. Estimated four backup in SWAT van; approximate response time for assistance force, 4.7 seconds.

"It's clear sir." the SWAT called out.

"Keys to the trunk."

"Look, I have a patrol guard who'll collaborate-" the SWAT dug the key out of her pocket "-this is a waste of my time, my name is Pinkamena Diane Pie; I'm the highest ranking Paladin in the Soalar Knight Order."

"Wait." the captain said just as the SWAT unlocked the trunk; opened three inches, but not enough to see the puppy inside.

The captain moved close enough to examine Pinkie's face, "sorry, diddn't recognize you mam."

"It's OK." Pinkie internally sighed in relief, "you're just doing your job."

"We'll escort you back to the gate."

"Thanks."

The captain handed the key to Pinkie, just as she grabbed it, a small bark was heard.

Everypony froze.

"... animals... lot's of them around here." Pinkie said in a hurry.

The captain stared, "sounds like it came from your trunk."

"Impossible." PInkie said as her heart rate rose, "just give me my keys. I'll be on my way."

The captain didn't let go, and yanked the keys away before walking over to the trunk.

"Captain... I'm asking you one last time... don't do this."

the Captain opened the trunk to reveal the puppy.

"DOWN ON YOUR KNEESE! GET DOWN! DOWN ON THE GROUND!" the two SWAT yelled as they pointed their shot gunst at Pinki from either side.

"SHOOT HER!"

Pinkie gave a quick whip of her hands and suddenly the shotguns were facing with the barrels pointing at the SWAT mebers who exclaimed "OH!" "FUCK!" before Pinkie blew their brains out with their own guns.

The Captain blinked, "what?!"

Pinkie cocked the shotgun pumps.

"Shit! SHOOT HER, SHOOT HER, SHOOT HER!"

Time slowed down for Pinkie as her mind engaged combat training; her Gun Cotta skills had always been among the best the Paladins had ever seen.

Two hostiles behind, one in front, estimated range and firing acuracy with experience, calibrating... calculate firing position and trajectory of rear hostiles. Predicted position of backup determined. Geometric station of remaining hostiles; calculated. Move to set new position and return fire, abandoning former weapons, draw and fire, compensate for loss of fire; calibrating... formula calculation complete.

It unfolded in a matter of seconds, the two SWAT from behind fired at her, she dodged the bullets with a roll towards them at a twisting angle to turn around and stood up shooting both SWAT in the chest with the shotguns.

The Captain began backing up while firing; Pinkie stayed in the Safe Zone of the bullet trajectory and pulled out one of her pistols firing a shot behind her without even looking; clipping the Captain's arm before spinning around with her other gun out and shooting the Captaing in the heart and lung before putting a final shot in his head.

Pinkie turned around as four more swat exited the vehical. She rushed towards the van and used her Earth Pony strength to leap ten feet in the air, front flipping and shooting two SWAT on iether side of her as she landed; two more SWAT came out leaving Pinkie surrounded by six hostiles.

The next few seconds were like shooting fish in a berrel; Pinkie whipped around in a whirlwind of pink and black firing her guns at all angles pumping all six SWAT full of her enchanted bullets that ripped right through their magic shields and kevlar.

After those few moments, Pinkie sat with both guns next to each other one facing up and the other down in the end of her cotta movement; the other ponies stumbled, and then fell to the ground dead. Even the light on the van exploted and fizzled out.

Pinkie walked over to the car and picked the puppy up.

XXXXX

Pinkie placed the current day's dosage of HARMONY on the edge of the sink. Wondering how to hide it. She looked up at the mirror when an idea struck. She grabbed the sides of the mirror and yanked, yanked harder and harder until it gave loose revealing some piping behind it with a small platform of pipes. She placed the doses on them and replaced the mirror.

XXXXX

The next day, Pinkie Pie stood in the middle of a training ground area with a practice sword. Although the Solar Paladins practiced mainly with guns, they still had melee combat knowledge with sword and knife combat.

The mare whipped her sword through the air several times until it smacked against another practice sword revealing Twilight in full practice gear.

"Always practicing Paladin, I guess that's why you're the best." Twilight said wiht a smirk.

"Maybe I'm just better" Pinkie responded.

Twilight whipped around with a heavy lateral slash that Pinkie blocked, "something on your mind?" she asked.

Three more parried blows traded place, "why do you ask?" Pinkie inquired.

More blows were traded, "the intuitive arts Paladin, it's my job to know what you're thinking."

Pinkie dudcked under a blow and retalliated with a swing at Twilight's head that knocked her kendo helmet off.

Twilight cracked her neck.

"so then... what am I thinking?" Pinkie asked as they circled one another.

"About the murders in Appleoosa last night." Twilight whipped her sword around, "and if they know who did it." She charged Pinkie who parried the incoming blow and several there after; but her emotional state got the better of her and she slipped up leaving an opening that Twilight exploited, delivering a heavy shot to Pinkie's rib cage, she fell and turned around as Twilight struck down on her back causing the mare to fall even further to her kneese.

Pinkie turned around and caught the finishing blow just in time.

"Am I close?" Twilight panted out.

Pinkie shoved the sword away and the two backed up.

"So tell me... do they know?" Pinkie asked.

The two rushed each other again with a series of blows. Pinkie rushed in with a spinning repitition of heavy slashes that forced Twilight back towards the wall before slamming into her with more forceful slashes pinning her into a column.

"There are theories; I have a few of my own, but at the moment their just thoughts." Twilight shoved Pinkie off and the two returned to trading blows and parries.

Again their swords locked. "I'm glad it happened." quipped Twilight as they struck a few more blows and then slammed up into each other crossing swords.

"Why?" Pinkie requested.

"Because now Celestia and the council have agreed that an acceleration is needed to crack down on offenders. It's ironic," Twilight slipped a hoof in behind Pinkie's "whoever killed the SWAT actually worked towards the end of the resistance." and sweeped knocking the mare off balance before setting forth a barrage of relentless strikes.

Pinkie had more and more trouble parrying them as they came in while trying to regain her hoofing; and eventually Twilight knocked her guard down before stabbing a thrust at her stomach and whacking her across the face with the but of the practice sword.

Pinkie planted her hoof back and reaffirmed her position as she caught the next strike and the two blades swung around until Twilight's sword was flush against Pinkie's neck.

"It's gonna be a massacre Pinkamena." Twilight panted as she tapped the sword on Pinkie's shoulder.

Pinkie tapped her own sword and Twilight looked down to see the blade against her crotch.

The two stepped away from each other.

"I came to tell you, there's a raid in the wastes, Trottingham Sector. So get ready." with that, Twilight left.

XXXXX

Vans poured through the city gunning down rebels in their wake. Just as Twilght had said, it was a complete massacre. Pinkie looked over the edges of one of the large construciton building's ledges as the carnage unfolded.

Suddenly she sensed a presence right behind her; in an instant, she whipped around and snatched a gun held at her head, prying it down and pointing its nozel at the gun's owner; a mint green Unicorn.

Pinkie looked at the group of rebels behind her... she stared at them before looking back at the other SWAT and Paladins below slaughtering rebels.

"That door behind you." Pinkie motioned.

Lyra blinkd in confusion.

"Go! Go damn you!" Pinkie shouted. She looked back to see the SWAT execute another rebel below before looking back at the rebels, "GET OUT OF HERE CELESTIA DAMN IT OR YOU'RE DEAD!"

Lyra glared, "don't listen to her, she'll shoot you in the back."

"If I was going to shoot you, I'd shoot you in the face, now go!"

The ponies stared in bafflement at her.

Pinkie looked back to see the SWAT searching around for more rebels.

"Damn you!" Pinkie shouted before rushing towards the door, "follow me!"

Pinkie lead the group through a series of hallways before coming out in another section of the building. As soon as she kicked the nxt door open, she came to an open room with two SWAT who rushed towards the rebels; Pinkie caught the first one and yanked her around in a circle before slamming the pony forward and chopping her knuckle at their throat bursting their esaphagus open.

The next SWAT didn't get a chance to shoot as Pinkie grabbed his gun and spun it around out of his grip before twisting his fingers up in an agonizing angle. Pinkie use'd the opening to kick the back of the pony's knee knocking him down and then pulling his arm straight out before slamming it down over her own knee snapping the joint right in half bringing out a gut wrenching screem. She then ripped his helmet off, kneed him in the face and slammed the back of his head into the wall cracking his skull open.

The first SWAT got back up coughing up blood and tried to shoot Pinkie who moved in past the firing range and spun around in circles slamming a palm strike into the pony's neck again, and again, and again, before finishing off with a heavy punch that busted his throat out entirely.

AS the SWAT fell to the ground dead, the doors behind Pinkie opened up and five more SWAT walked in around her pointing their guns around, "Paladin, what happened? We heard gunshots!"

The rebels froze at the sight of more SWAT, but Pinkie pulled out her own pistols and yelled out at the rebels, "GO!"

The ponies ran for it.

"Paladin?! What are you doing?!"

Pinkie whipped her pistols around grabbing them by the barrels as prongs shot out of the but of the handles.

"SHE'S A SENSE OFFE-" the SWAT didn't get a chance to finishe as Pinkie whacked him across the jaw. A pistol whip in and off itself is a powerful and painful attack, add on the weight of a heavy high calibur gun and the damage is multiplied. But also add in the introduction of prongs to focus the force into four small points, and the result is a melee attack capable of smashing through armored military helmets; and though they wouldn't tear through kevlar, the physical impact would still shoot through to bruise if not break bones.

Pinkie Pie became a tornator of pistol whips slamming around all around her in every direction at the five SWAT surrounding her. Time seemed to slow yet again as she realized just what she was doing, she was killing her own ponies... the very ponies she was supposed to protect...

The same ponies... who enforce the supression of emotion...

Whack, whack, whack, whack, a SWAT's glass face mask was obliterated and nose caved into the brain.

The same ponies who believed joy and happiness to be enemies along with hate and anger.

Whhack, whack, whack.

The same ponies who murder without feeling, if only because they aren't even capable for such a thing.

Whack, whack, whack.

The same ponies that rose her to think like them. To kill like them.

Whack, whack, whack.

The same ponies who see no problem with shooting dogs and killing their partners.

Whack, whack, whack!

The last SWAT fell dead to the ground and Pinkie retracted the prongs before leaving the area.

She hurried through towards the sounds of gunfire; and soon kicked open a door at the end of a winding hallway to find the rebels she had been leading lined up against a wall.

"what is this?" she asked out to the SWAT in the room, "what are you doing?"

"Nicely done Paladin." Spoke Twilight as she walked into the room with folded hands; "you drive them into the trap, I close it."

Pinkie's teeth clenched as several SWAT walked up in front of the rebels with assult rifles.

"The very definition of... teamwork. Don't you think?" Twilight asked as she walked over to Pinkie and locked gazes with her, "why don't you do the honors of the execution Paladin."

Pinkie's heart practically stopped. She looked over at Lyra and the other rebels lined against the wall; then back at Twilight.

"These ponies should be taken in for clinical interrogation." Pinkie said as calmly as she could.

Twilight rose an eyebrow, "Paladin, Celestia's rules are quite clear. Offenders are to be shot on sight."

Pinkie's lip scrunched, "they could have valuable infor-" "Paladin," Twilight cut in.

"They could be put to much better us-" "Paladin." Twilight cut in again, "if your weapon's low... please, use mine."

Twilight held up her own Paladin pistol.

Pinkie Pie's eyes scanned the area. She looked over at the SWAT, over at the rebels, and back at Twilight.

Several silent moments passed...

Pinkie ran the possible scenarios through her head. Could she fight right here and now?

Positions of the SWAT plus firepower and battlemage training; calibrating... Calculate trajectory of combined firing squad at geometric angle... add in element of Twilight, calibrating...

The odds didn't look good...

With the addition of Twilight the odds swiveled almost to a draw; they were both high class Paladin Knights, but Twilight combined with 7 SWAT all lined up in perfect firing range...

Pinkie slowly rose her right hand and took the gun.

Pinkie ground her teeth as she set the switch on the pistols from Safe, to Semi, to Auto.

odds didn't look good... but Pinkie wasn't just a good shot, she was the best shot... there was still the small percent. her survival rate was in the miniscule minority but it still existed...

She looked over to Lyra again. And the Unicorn shook her head in a no.

A very small and slight moment past. And in that moment; Pinkie made a decision. More than that, she made a plan. A plan to be ten steps ahead of Twilight, which wasn't easy, but what was done was done. And now, in this defining moment; PInkie remembered a word from that old old saying she'd heard in Celestia's teachings from so long ago; Sic Semper Tyrannis. Yes... the decision was made. Pinkie in that moment, made her choice. And what an astronomical choice it was, the true epicenter of her own fate, and unbeknownst to her, the fate of all ponies.

And so, Pinkie moved the first chest piece. Knight enters the playing field.

Pinkie sighed. "no." she said, and switched the pistols back to Safe. "It'd be better if you have it." she then held out the gun in her left hand towards Twilight stared at the pistole for a few moments before taking it.

Pinkie turned to Lyra who gave her the slightest of nods; Pinkie gave an inconspicuous nod back and walked away.

"Captain." Twilight said.

"Yes mam! Firing positions. Ready. Aim."

Pinkie grit her teeth as she kept her back turned. Lyra and the other rebels stood up tall and glared defiantly at the SWAT.

"FIRE!"

Pinkie tried her best not to cry as she exited the room with the sound of bullets tearing through the flesh of good ponies behind her.

XXXXX

"Mam." Pinkie said to the TV screen at the heart of the Paladin Monastary.

"You asked me to become Celestia's instrument against the resistance. I'm ready. Today. I wish to show my faith."

Luna stared down at the Paladin before her screen.

"I wish with your permission," Pinkie continued, "to locate the Underground once and for all."

"Do destroy it?" Luna said more than asked.

"... to destroy it."

"Good."

The TV image vanished and Pinkie left the Monastary. She had loose ends to tie up.

XXXXX

Pinkie sat on a chair in the morgue next to Rainbow Dash's corpse.

"I'm so... so sorry..."

The coronor came in with a small tray; "these were her possessions at the time of death. The others will be burned with her."

Pinkie gave a nod and the coronor left. Pinkie grabbed a small CD case off the tray and opened it showing a small photo album contained within. soo many pictures of happy families smiling and laughing... then she found one picture upside down... with big bold letters on the back spelling out FREEDOM. She flipped the picture over.

XXXXX

Pinkie sat in the interrorgation room across from Soarin, "Rainbow Dash."

Soarin glared, "is saying that supposed to mean something?"

"She was a Paladin Knight First Class." Pinkie pulled out a picture of Soarin and Dash together smiling out in the wastes in colorful clothes and placed it on the table, "I wanna know about her."

"Well..." Soarin pushed the picture back, "then I suggest that you go ask her. But I understand she's dead. Killed by your friends in the Solar Paladin Order."

Pinkie's jaw went ridgid, "not by my friends... by me."

Soarin sighed, he looked down and shook his head slowly for a few moments. Then snatched the pen off the chart on the table and made a lunge for Pinkie while shouting in rage.

Pinkie rushed up, caught the blow and spun Soarin slamming him ont ohis back on the table and leaning over him; their faces inches apart.

Pinkie took in his features from up close, the countours of his face, the bright life-filled color of his eyes; the curve of his mane, and his scent... she reached out a hand and almost caressed his cheek. Almost.

Pinkie stood up off the table and walked over towards the wall.

Soaring shakily sat back up on the table facing away from Pinkie.

Awkward silence stretched on between them.

Pinkie finally spoke, "you weren't just married... you were lovers..." and then left the room.

XXXXX

Pinkie sat at her desk in the Paladin Monastary offices; looking over the photo of Dash and Soarin with FREEDOM written on the back. Her mind wracked with ideas and feelings. Celestia's voice idle in the background; not even registering to her. She picked up the picture and put it in her pocket before heading off to a different part of the Monastary.

There she walked into a classroom.

"And thus, in the writings of Celestia-" she looked up at the intrusion, "good afternoon mam," said Cheerilee. She walked over to Pinkie, "would you like to join us? We were just going over the tenaments of Celestia."

Pinkie took off her gloves and held up the picture of Dash. "Rainbow Dash, what do you know about her?"

"I... beg your pardon?"

Pinkie looked at the rest of the class, "everypony out. Now."

The students packed up their books and exited the room with Pinkie shutting and locking the door behind them.

"I'm going to ask you one more time, Raionbow Dash, what do you know about her?"

"I'm sure this must be some mist-"

Pinkie turned around, snatched Cheerilee up by her coat and slammed her onto the table, glaring into her eyes, "you're an offender."

"N-no I'm not!"

"No? Then why are you so scared of me?" Pinkie growled. "Now you are going to tell me everything you know about Rainbow Dash or I will have a wagon take you down to the Hall of Destruction for summary combustion."

"I-I really d-don't know!" Cheerilee squeaked.

Pinkie lifted her off the table and slammed her back down.

"Sh-she'd come in her sometimes, w-with a mare named Applejack!"

"Why?!"

"Th-that's all I know, I swear!" Cheerilee pleaded.

Pinkie released her and stood up. She looked around the room and glanced back at the rows of books with the sign DO NOT TOUCH above them.

"Interesting..." Pinkie said. she grabbed Cheerilee and hurled her through the false wall smashing it down. Pinkie walked into a small hidden room; looking around at the dust covered shelves.

"Ah was wondering when ya'll would come..."

Pinkie turned around to see a golden mare standing in the corner of the room.

"you're Applejack..."

"You're feeling." AJ walked up to the Paladin, "do you know why you came?"

Pinkie didn't answer.

"Applejack turned around and held out a controller, after pressing a button, a hatch opened showing a staircase leading downstairs.

The two mares descended into a large stone maze of a city with grates above them paving light down below.

"Welcome to the Underground." Applejack said. The very heart of the rebels was litterally right under Canterlot's hooves.

XXXXX

"It's called a Textar. It detects fluxuations in pony emotion. We have ta be sure." Applejack said as Pinkie was hooded up to a strange contraption. Ponies of all kinds and colors were leaning against the walls aorund the room in various outfits of all designs and unique flares.

Applejack looked down at the screen and whispered, "Soarin."

Pinkie's hand unconciously clenched as the reader went haywire with emotional fluxes.

Applejack chuckled, "ya'll are carrying a tie in yer pocked with his scent." Applejack walked over to the wall, "ya breath it in sometimes when ya'll think there's nopony to see. But what ya'll feel... what ya'll feel could only be satisfied by falling yerself into him."

"... he's schedueled for combustion... tomorrow..." Pinkie said quietly.

Applejack sighed, "Ah know..."

XXXXX

Applejack and Pinkie sat in AJ's office.

"The first thing we learn 'bout emotion is its price. It's a complete paradox. But without restraint... without control... emotion is chaos."

"but how is that differ-" "The difference being that when we want to feel... we can."

Applejack looked downward, "it's just that... some of us... some of us have to forgoe that luxury so that the rest can have it... some very few of us... have ta force ourselves not ta feel... like me... like you."

Pinkie nodded, "what can Ah do?"

Applejack stared long and hard and Pinkie before taking in a deep breath and releasing it, "... you can kill Celestia."

XXXXX

Pinkie hurried through the masses of ponies in the streets; walking faster and faster until soon she was sprinting and tackling through ponies along the way. Chaotic emotions of all kinds threating to explode, she finally found an empty alley that she pressed agains and breathed for some desperate control.

The sound of engines caught her attention, and she turned to see SWAT pull up into the alleyway.

"Paladin Pinkamena Diane Pie, you are to come with us."

XXXXX

Pinkie was escorted into the Royal Palace, all the way up to the top in Luna's chambers.

Royal Guards line the walls while Luna stared out a window at the city below.

"Paladin Pinkamena..." Luna said cooly.

"Mam." Pinkie responded as she folded her hands behind her back.

Knight takes Rook.

"I've heard the most disturbing rumor." Luna said as she stepped down from the window and walked around her desk.

Knight is left open.

"Rumor mam?"

"Yes, a rumor mainting that one among us, a Paladin has taken it upon themself to cease taking their dose..." Luna replied, "one of our elite number... is actually feeling..." she ran her fingers along her desk.

"Feeling mam?" Pinkie asked innocently.

Knight is placed in Queen's line of fire.

Luna slammed her fist against the table cracking it, "ARE YOU PLAYING WITH ME, PALADIN?!"

The Royal Guards raised their guns.

"No mam..."

Pawn steps to defend Knight

Luna snorted and walked up to Pinkie Pie, "this pony I'm told... is actually attempting to contact the resistance... now tell me, if you'd be so kind." Luna began slowly circling Pinkie, "how have you been making use of your time of late."

Pinkie's head and neck fidgeted, "... attempting.. to contact the resistance mam."

Queen takes Pawn, Knight is unable to escape.

"Attempting... how is it that you intend to expose this traitor... if all you do is attempt?"

Pinkie blinked... 'wait... what...' she thought. 'no really... what?'

Pinkie looked straight ahead, "you're... absoloutely right... 100 percent right mam.."

Queen ignores Knight and takes Bishop.

"Of course I am." Luna growled before walking back to her throne, "the Paladin, is the final line of defense. If the resistance compromises it; we are doomed... Celestia... is doomed."

Pinkie nodded, "I will redouble my efforts mam. To locate the resistance, to find this traitor. And bring them all to the council as fair justice."

Luna sat down in her throne, "... do it."

XXXXX

Pinkie took the mirror out of her bathroom and placed yet another set of doses in her hiding spot.

After wards; she went into her foal's room and sat on a chair as they slept. She opened the drawr and pulled out her son's injector.

Pound rolled over in his bed, "what are you doing?"

Pinkie froze.

"What are you doing?" Pound asked again.

"I was... checking... to make sure you were taking your interval."

"... are you satisfied?"

"... yes I am." Pinkie closed the case of the Injector and placed it back in the drawr.

Pound rolled over again, "goodnight mom."

Pinkie froze yet again...

mom...

...

...

Funy...

...

the... the strange warm feeling that word brought out in her chest...

XXXXX

"I don't understand... my execution's set... why are you here?" Soarin asked in the interrogation room.

Pinkie stared down at the ground, not responding. A small siren sounded out announcing the time for the interval.

Pinkie pressed the button on her watch.

Soarin stared, "... aren't you gonna dose?"

Pinkie drumbed her fingers on the table as she looked around the room.

Soarin's mouth slowly dropped. "What... what are you gonna do?"

"... I don't know..." Pinkie admitted.

Soarin slowly reached his hand out across the table as did Pinkie until their fingers touched.

XXXXX

"Fifty sweepers maybe more." Pinkie said at the table with Applejack, Vinyl, Bon Bon, and Braeburn.

"What about an audience with Celestia?" Applejack asked.

Pinkie shook her head, "Celestia's never given a single audience since the upheaval, the danger is too great."

Applejack glared, "you're changing yer whole life ta fight these oppressors."

"Even if I could... even if I could get through, what garuntee is there, that it would accomplish anything? That anything would be different?" Pinkie asked.

"We have a network that's larger 'an you can immagine. The instant word comes that Celestia is dead, that the council is leaderless, bombs that 'ave already been set up will go off in the HARMONY factories 'cross the city. If we can succeed at disruptin' the supply for even one day... one day... our cause will be won by pony nature itself" Applejack affirmed.

"What about war? The cruelties that have gone now?" Pinkie challenged.

Applejack scoffed, "replaced by the Solar Paladins?"

...

...

...

"Will you do it?" Applejack asked.

"... yes..."

"Can ya'll?"

"... I don't know."

The two left the room.

"Pinkie... seeing him fer one last time will only make it harder to do what ya'll need ta do."

XXXXX

Pinkie stared at the scren showing Soarin's arrest, escorted out towards the Hall of Destruction.

"Audio" Pinkie said.

"Soarin Dash, for the crime of ceasing your dosage, and the offense of feeling, you are sentenced to be incinerated in the city furnaces. You will be taken there immediately; and you will burn."

Pinkie then stared into her own image in the screen; as she had been there at the sentencing.

Emotions roiled up in her chest, she rose from the desk and made her way for the exit, walking... then trotting... then running. then Sprinting across the city knocking ponies down along the way; heart thundering as she charged fro the Hall of Destruction.

Inside she flashed her badge, "has the incineration gone through?!"

"it's going through now."

Pinkie mad ea mad dash down the hallway towards the execution chambers; tears stained at her eyes. Finally she reached the funaces, "SOLAR PALADIN!" she shouted as she held her badge out, "I need to speak to this stallion."

"You're too late mam." the executioner informed, "the time lock is already set, if we force it open now the turbines will explode at street level."

Pinkie stared through the window at Soarin's face; they both shuddered as their eyes met, both pairs flooded with bright color.

Knight maneuvers around front lines. Enemy Rook hunts for blood. Second Bishop blocks tha path and takes the fall as Knight continues through the wall of soldiers.

*Turbine set in 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, *

Pinkie's body shook as tears poured down Soarin's face.

*1, turbine ignite*

And then Soarin was gone. Replaced by a wall of flame.

XXXXX

Pinkie slowly stalked out of the Hall of Destruction into the streets; her face empty of emotion. She walked calmly through the crowds, a few ponies bumping shoulders with her here and there; but she could care less.

She... she couldn't take it any more.

She fell to her kneese burying her face in the concrete below as her face flashed red and tears streamed down from her eyes, she shuddered, weeping silently out in the open.

Her vision was suddenly flooded with hooves, she slowly looked up with a tear stained flushed face to see Twilight smiling down at her. "Pinkamena Diane Pie. You are under arrest." and slammed a fist into Pinkie's face. And then everything was black.

XXXXX

"This mare!" Twilight threw Pinkie into the center of the town square, "this single Paladin as ceased her dose! She is feeling!" Twilight shouted, "she is the worm! That has been eating at the core, of this GREAT!" She pounded her chest, "society! And I, I! Have brought her justice!"

Pinkie moved a bit on the ground, Twilight knelt down and slammed a fist into her jaw splattering blood onto the ground.

"I told you, I'd make my career with you Pinkamena." Twilight whispered into her ear.

Knight is blocked by enemy Knight.

XXXXX

Twilight shoved the doors open to the council, "Vice Council!" she called out gaining Luna and Blueblood's attention.

"This mare is guilty is guilty of Sense Offenders; of having relations with a stallion," Twilight grabbed Pinkie from the Royal Guards and shoved her to the ground in front of Luna's desk, "of Sense crime, itself."

Luna frowned, "run a search through the Paladin's quarters-"

"Oh that won't be necessary mam," Twilight cut in, "run a trace on her side arm, you'll find it was she who was present with the sweep team when they were murdered.

Blueblood turned his computer to show the trace to Luna.

Knight maneuvers around enemy Knight, awkward L shaped directions not offering a straight hit to one another, but Knight is running out of space to dodge enemy Knight.

Luna looked at the screen before looking at Pinkie's form, "do you have something to say Paladin?"

Pinkie nodded, "I do..." she spat out a glob of blood before standing up on her kneese with her cuffed wrists, "it's hard to belive, that a Solar Paladin would turn her back on everything she's been taught. Becoming associated with the resistance, even becoming a champion in its underground." Pinkie stood up on her hooves, "but it's true."

Twilight smiled smugly.

Pinkie cracked her neck, "I promised I would bring you that mare..." she turned to Twilight, "and here she is"

Twilight blinked; she stared incredulously at Pinkie who winked back at her.

"Paladin Twilight..." Luna said.

"Mam?"

"The trace shows," Luna turned the computer screen around, "that it was YOUR gun with the sweepers in the wastes."

Twilight's jaw dropped, "th-that's impossible" she reached into her coat and pulled out her pistol; the Royal Guards held up their assult rifles.

Twilight held her hand up, she turned the gun upside down; letters on the but of the gun read, SOALAR PALADIN: PINKAMENA DIANE PIE 782.

"This is wrong... this... but..." and then it clicked...

A flashback to Trottingham...

*I think it'd be better if you have it.* Pinkie said as she held out the gun in her left hand... but Twilight's gun... the one she had offered to execute the rebels was in Pinkies RIGHT hand...*

Twilight blinked, then she chuckled, "she switched them."

Luna rose an eyebrow.

"She switched them, see, I have her gun now."

"Of course you do." Pinkie intervened, "you took it when you arrested me."

"WHAT?!" Twilight shouted incredulously.

Luna glared, "take Paladin Twilight to the Hall of Destruciton for summary judgment and incineration."

"W-wait, wait! WAIT! I can explain!" the Royal Guards dragged her out of the room, "Mam! I'm not the one who's feeling! SHE'S THE ONE WHO'S FEELING! THIS IS A MISTAKE!"

The doord shut.

Knight leads Enemy Knight around in circles before lining Enemy Knight up with Queen. Queen takes Enemey Knight. Knight presses closer to enemy Queen and King.

Luna stood up and moved around the room, "of course... since a complaint has been lodged... the letter of the law requires that I send out a team to search your premises... do you think that's entirely necessary Paladin or am I being to... exacting?" she was now standing directly in front of Pinkie.

Pinkie bowed her head, "as you say mam, it's the law of the letter."

"And it doesn't disturb you in the least that your collegue is going to her end?" Luna asked.

"The only thing that disturbs me mam, is that I've taken out the traitor assissting the underground to protect Celestia and yet... I've never had the honor of meeting her." Pinkie replied.

Luna smiled, "yes Paldin, but you know Celestia never grants an audience."

"Not even to the mare who brings her the resistance?"

Luna smiled.


	4. Smile

Chapter 4, Smile

*_By gods... what have I done? What disgusting excuse for a paradise have I created? I have stripped away the very soul of my ponies.. I... I tried to play gods... I tried to control the very free will of those I fought to protect... I... I'm a monster... what have I done?_* Forgotten excerpt from Celestia Sunbeam the First, locked away in the Forbidden Archives.

After Pinkie's cuffs were unlocked, she immediately headed home; there she met a group of Royal Guards and SWAT, the leader walked up to Pinkie, "apologies mam, this is a routine inspection."

Pinkie nodded, "of course, I have nothing to hide."

Once inside, Pinkie sprinted up the stairs of the apartment complex with all due haste unitl she reached her floor. Once she did, she paused in her running and regained her composure, straightening out her mane and relaxing her breath.

With that, she entered into the sub-hallway to see a contingent of SWAT sitting by her door.

"Search teams are already inside mam." one of the SWAT said.

"Excellent." Pinkie responded. Inside her apartment she saw a dozen Magi searching through the building for any contraband that might suggest sense offense.

Pinkie calmly passed the group and walked into her bathroom shutting the door behind her; she headed up to the mirror and ripped it out... only to see that the little shelf among the piping no longer had her missed doses.

The bathroom door slowly opened and closed.

"Looking for something?"

Pinkie turned around to see her son.

"I'd be more careful in the future, if I were you." Pound said calmly.

"... how long?"

"Since mom..."

"And Pumpkin?"

"Of course."

Pinkie smiled, "how did you know?"

"You forget, it's my job to know what you're thinking." Poun dsmiled back.

"Then you know what I'm going to do."

XXXXX

Pinkie sat at a table with the leaders of the rebellion holding a phone, "It's done, I've located the resistance. Come now, you'll have them all."

XXXXX

Pinkie watched as Applejack and the others were loaded up into a van.

-Knight moves in towards King and Queen. Ally Queen is sacrificed to move closer to King.-

XXXXX

Pinkie was being lead up to an elevator in a white Paladin suit bearing a medal of Arch-Hierophant-Paladin-Grand-Knight; with a beautiful enchanted katana at her side.

"Do not adress Celestia unless first adressed to; avoid eye contact, should you break her personal security zone; you will be immediately put down by snipers, is that clear?" the guide didn't wait for Pinkie to respond as they walked down the hallway of the highest level of the Royal Palace, "you'll be required to surrender your firearm of course, and then there's the test."

Pinkie stopped for a moment and blinked, "test?"

the guide turned back to her, "of course, you don't think we'd expose Celestia even to such a dedicated soldier as yourself without first bein tested for emotion did you?"

Pinkie's hand holding the scabbard of her Katana clenched it tightly as she calmly nodded.

Pinkie proceeded through a series of automated doors and lead into a testing room. A Royal Guard held out his hand, "your weapon please." Pinkie handed over the Katana before sitting down in a metal chair in the center of the room.

A Wizard hooked up a series of sensors to Pinkie's head and switched the machine on, "let's start with a test question, more of a riddle actually; what would you say is the easiest way to get a weapon away from a Solar Paladin?"

The Royal Guards around the room aimed their riffles straight at Pinkie.

The mare blinked as the sensors started to twitch a bit. "You ask her for it." Pinkie heard a familiar voice say, she turned to see Twilight standing there smiling.

The emotion sensor began to spike with activity.

Twilight stood in front of Pinkie, "I told you I'd make my career with you Paladin."

Pinkie's mane and tail began to puff out slightly in parts here and there.

Twilight laughed a bit before leaving the room.

"Pinkamena." Pinkie's head snapped up to the screen showing Celestia.

*_Twilight's job was simple, to make you feel like you'd won. To make you feel safe_.*

Pinkie's mouth quivered in shock, more tuffets of her mane poofed out.

*_For years I'd tried to infiltrate an agent into the Underground; and then it hit me. In order to pass, undedected, in order to be trusted by them; my sobateur would need to think like them; would have to feel like them. But where to find such a pony? With the capacity to feel and yet... didn't know it._*

Pinkie's breath picked up while the emotion sensor went out of control, Pinkie's mane began puffong out all over until her entire mane and tail were like a cloud of cotton cany; "but... but... we've never met."

*_no?_* Celestia's image shimmered and faded away revealing Luna, "don't be so suprised Pinkamena, why should Celestia be any more real than any other political puppet? The real Celestia took her own life centuries ago. She couldn't... handle the new world she created. Believed that she'd made a mistake in creating the HARMONY syrum. She shut down the factories; and swallowed a poisoned tonic as 'punishement' for her crimes. In other words, she was weak. She couldn't fully grasp the glory of the new world she had forged. And so, as the dutiful little sister, I picked up where she so foolishly left off."

-And so Knight makes a move for check, but is blocked by Queen.-

Pinkie's shook around in bafflement as her entire world was flipped upside down.

"And you, Pinkamena, the suposed savior of the resistance; are now its destroyer. And along with them, you've given me yourself."

Pinkie's breathing turned into hyperventalation as she stared at the ground.

"Come now... cooly... entirely without incident"

-Queen takes Knight; ally King is unprotected, Queen was aready sacrificed; a group of pawns and bishops surrouend ally King, checkmate; gameover. You lose.-

The emotion sensores spiked entirely out of control as Pinkie shook her head.

And then, in that moment, Pinkie Pie made a decision. A decision, to be free. To decide her own fate; even if it was death.

"No..."

The emotion sensore suddenly went entirely blank; Pinkie's mane and tail fell to dark curtains.

Pinkie... Pinkamena Diane Pie looked up at the screen, and in a completely monotonous voice she said, "No. Not without incident."

-The chessboard is knocked into the air, player pulls out a gun and shoots adversary in the face.-

"Oh..." the Wizard said as he stared at the emotion sensor, "shit."

Pinkie Pie whipped her hands out sliding her gunds into place and stood up spinning around as she fired.

Enemies calculated, taking into account Royal Guard training, computing... plugging in geometric positioning of surrounding hostiles, computing... Logorithim for distance vs. bullet trajectory and return fire, computing... compensate for enchanted bullets in return fire, adjusting...

Assessment complete, Total killchance = 73% Survival rate: 59% Chance of injury = 92%

Pinkie fired to her sides killing two Royal Guards; the immediately returned fire at Pinkie who ducked under the fire, but was still clipped across her torso by the homing bullets, and switched the positions of her guns killing two more Roayl Guards before spinning around in a tornador of gunfire that finished off the remaining guards busting stright through their shields.

Pinkie then looked towards the screen with Luna on it, "I'm coming." she said before shooting the glass and proceeding towards the throne room.

Pinkie kicked open the door to the audience hall which contained twenty Royal Guards, her mane and tail now puffing out in a cotton candy fashion while her eyes burned with impossibly bright blue light of vibrance and spirit. She chucked two special cartridges of gun clips into the center of the room before begining her gun cotta while the twenty Royal Guards readied their assult rifles.

Pinkie's head bounced slightly, she charged forwards while singing, "my name is Pinkie Pie, and I am here to say, I'm gonna make you smile; and I will brighten up your daaay." Pinkie shot out the first two guards while back flipping over the gunfire of the next few enemies.

"I love to see you grin, I love to see you beam; to see the corners of your mouth turn up is always Pinkie's dream."

Pinkie rushed in towards teh centure of the room spinning in circles letting out a flurry of bullets all the way sailing through the hearts and skulls of Royal Guards as she made her way through the audience hall.

"It's true some days are dark and loonely... and maybe you feel sad, but Pinkie will be there to show you that it isn't that bad; there is one thing that makes me happy, and makes my whole world worth while; and that's when I talk to my friends and get them to smiiiiile."

More bullets sailed out as time seemed to slow down; Royal Guards flew through the air from the force of the enchanted bullets tearing through their flesh.

"Cause I love to see you beam, beam, beeaaam, tell me what more can I say to make you see, that I do? It makes me happy when I see you beam, beam, beeaaaam."

When the bullets ran out, she slammed her guns down on the two special cartridges on the floor automatically reloading before stwitching the guns to full auto and assulting the remaining guards with a tital wave of death as Pinkie took a few shots here an their to her liver, thigh, and forearm.

"Come on everypony, smile, smile, smile, fill my heart up with sunshine sunshine."

She saw two coming in behind her and backflipped shooting as she was upside down killing the two guards before dropping the gunsa and rushing towards one of the dead warriors;

"Yes the perfect gift for meeee, is a smile as wide as a mile; To make me happy as can beeee! Smile, Smiiiile, Smiiiiile, Smiiiile! Come on and smiiiiile!"

kicking his rifle up to her hands and blowing the last two Royal Guard's brains out.

The guards fell to the ground dead and Pinkie kicked open the doors to the throne room.

Inside she found Luna sitting on her throne in front of a desk with a set of two Katanas on it. Beside her was Twilight.

PInkie throew the gun away and approached the tyrant. Six Paladin-Knight-Commanders stepped out from behind the columns holding Katanas of their woan; they closed in around Pinkie.

"Tell me Pinkamena." Luna said as she folded her hands, "how do you feel?"

Pinkie sted attPaladin in front of her and smiled. She whipped her hand back grabbing the handle of the Katana on the Paladin behind her and ripping it out to slice the Paladin in front of her's throat; then whipping around in a tornado of steal slashing open more of the Paladins until only three were left; she slashed the first one's stomach open and pulled otu his scabbard before blcoking the attacks of the other two; then she swung the scabbard around, it was cut by the second Paladin creating a sharp point.

Pinkie stabbed her Katana into one Paladin, and the now improve-wooden stake into the other; both fell to the ground groaning, and died.

Pinkie stood up in front of Luna and Twilight.

Luna rose her eyebrow at Twilight who sighed and pulled out a Katana from the table's scabbards, "mind the uniform Pinkamena," she said as she whipped the sword around, "I plan to be wearing it for a long time."

She dashed at Pinkie whoducked under it, yanked a Katana out of one of the dead Paladin's chests and spun around slicing opn Twilight's lower back, then spinning around with a downward strike that cut her chest open as she turned; and then whipped the blade up through Twilight's face.

The entire process took only two seconds.

Twilight fell to her kneese... and her face slwoly slip off her head.

Luna chuckled... she stood up, "tread carefully Pinkamena..." she grabbed a Paladin pistol from the table, "you're treading on my dreams."

Pinkie lunged forward and snatched up Twilight's pistol from the ground; both mare's guns met and were deflected by one another.

What followed was what might have looked to be an elegant but deadly ballet. Each mare trying to shot the other only to have their gun hand parried away just in time to miss the shot; then retaliating with their own fire only for the same thing to happen to them.

For minutes this lethal dance took place with the two most skilled Paladins twirling around each other; parrying, dodging, countering, but never landing a shot.

On and on it went a parryin, a redirection, a shot missed, again and again; bullet holes littered the Throne Room but neither mare was injured; the just kept... dancing around one another parried the incomping shots and attacks.

But at last Pinkie got her opportunity and caught Luna's hand, twisting, and breaking her wrist knocking the gun from her grasp.

"WAIT!" Luna shouted as Pinkie aimed the gun at her.

"let me... let ma..." Luna panted, "I'm life. I live, I breath... I feel. I'm a feeling pony just like you. Now that you know it... can you really take it?... is it really worth the price?..."

Pinkie hesitated for a second; and then the image of Soarin burning in the furnace flashed through her mind, "I pay it gladly."

BANG!

Luna stumbled bakcwards a bit with disbelief written on her face; a bullet hole striaght through her heart.

And finally, she fell to the ground... dead.

XXXXX

Pinkie entered into the control center; blood staining her outfit from her wounds; the technitions ran in fear. Pinkie looked around at the TVs and computers sening out Celestia's teachings throughout the control center.

She put her hand on the screen showing the face of the mare she'd seen as an ultimate mother throughout her entire life... a lie... a puppet for tyranny... she shot out the TV screen and marched down the control center obliterating the computers short circuiting the broadcasthroughout Canterlot. All over, ponies saw the giant TV screens around the city suddenly fizzle out; the speakers went silent.

And finally, Pinkie looked out the window towards the city.

Firery clouds filled the sky as the HARMONY facotries were bombed.

XXXXX

Pound looked up from his desk in the monastary as he heard the bombs go off; and he smiled.

XXXXX

Pumpkin played with the puppy in her room, it licked her hand and she smiled.

XXXXX

Applejack and the other rebel leaders were down in the furnace; suddenly they heard explosions go off; rebels came pouring into the furnace and killed the SWAT members; Applejack lead the rebellion out and ito the city, and she smiled.

XXXXX

Pinkie looked down at the city of Canterlot, the bombs lighting up the sky; rebels flooding into the city and killing the guards, completely overthrowing the government; an abosoloute rebellion. the fire of the bombs reflected in her eyes, and she smiled.

The End.


End file.
